The employment rate has increased in Hinckley and Bosworth while the number of people claiming benefits has fallen, latest figures show.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit in the borough reduced from 760 in June to 730 in July.

People aged between 18 and 24 who are claiming benefits dropped from 170 to 160 and claimants aged 50 and over also reduced from 185 to 175 during the same period.

The employment rate currently stands at 81.8% - well above the national average of 74.5%, according the figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The figures cover the period immediately after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Roger Matthews, a senior operations leader at Leicester’s job centre, said the figures are “very positive”.

He said the expansion of Magna Park in Lutterworth and Hinckley’s new Crescent development is creating new job opportunities in the area.

He invited residents to a Christmas jobs fair at Hinckley Hub, on Rugby Road, on September 29 from 9am to noon.

In Leicestershire, the claimant count dropped slightly by 3,560 to 3,500 between June and July.

In the East Midlands, total employment increased by more than 24,500 from April to nearly 2.25 million at the end of June.

The figure was 34,652 higher than the same period last year and 74,601 up on two years ago.

Scott Knowles, chief executive of the East Midlands Chamber, said: “These figures remain very positive and show that, despite the uncertainty leading up to the referendum, businesses continued to recruit in the months before the vote and immediately afterwards during July.”